Draft gear



Patented @een 25, i923.

ldhllyll HERMAN C. PRIEBE, 0F BLUE ISLND, ILLENOS.

DRAFT GEAR.

.application led October 10, 1921. Serial No. 506,754.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that l, HERMAN C. Pinnen, a. citizen of the United gStates, residing at Blue island, in the county ot' Coeli and State of illinois, have invented a certain new and useiiul improvement in Draft Gears, of which the following is a full., clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to draft gears employed tor coupling cars in railway trains.

The invention has two main objects in view,

one object being the provision of means for assembling the t'ollovners independently of the sills between which the draft gear is disposed so that the mechanism oi the gear may be assembled apart from the car and thereafter installed in position as a unitary structure between the sills.

rilhe invention has :tor its further object the provision or" supplemental motion resisting mechanism brought into operation subsequently to the initiation of the operation of the main motion resisting mechanism. This supplemental motion resisting mechanism is interposed between main motion resisting mechanisms, it such be employed, that are respectively individual to the followers. The supplemental motion resisting mechanism will not operate to any substantial degree until the main motion resisting mechanisms have operated to predetermined extents.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the main motion resisting mechanisms that are respectively individual to the iiollowers are in the iorm ot heavy coiled springs while the supplemental motion resisting mechanism is inclusive of spring plates that extend crosswise of the gear, there being a spring plate depresser interposed be* tween the spring plates and serving, when the gear is under su'icient strain, to bend the spring plates between which the depresser is disposed.

I'will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a view in plan, partially in section, ot a draft gear constructed in aocordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention; 2 is a view on line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig 3 is a plan view, partially in sect-ion, of a part oi' the structure showin the positions ot some 'of the parts when su ject to pushing strain, that is suiiicient to operate the main motion resisting mechanism but is not suiiicient appreciably to operate the supplemental motion resisting mechanism; Fig. d is a view generally similar to Fig. 3 showing the relative positions ot the parte when the pushing strain is suiiiciently increased to operate the supplemental motion resisting mechanism; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. l; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing one orx the followers, both followers being identical in construction but reversed in position.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the diiierent gures.

The draft gear illustrated includes a coupler stem or shank l and a coupler'yolre 2 assembled with the stein by means of a lrey 3 passing through the outer end o the yolre, the coupler shank, and elongated slots d formed in the center or longitudinal sills F' 5, these slots permitting movements of the coupler longitudinally oi' the center sills. rl`he yole is supported and slides upon a plate 6 that is secured to and beneath the longitudinal sills 5. The outer follower 7 and the inner follower 8 are assembled with the yolre that surrounds them. These followers are respectively provided with lugs 9 and l0 upon their sides which are preferably those sides that are adjacent the longitudinal sills. rlhese lugs extend longitudinally or' the gear and are spaced apart from the followers that carry them. Straps ll are inten posed between the followers and the longitudinal sills and extend longitudinally of the gear. These straps have their ends formed into hooks l2, 123 that are turned inwardly toward the followers and between whose sides the lugs individual thereto are received. The hoolrs upon each strap face each other, the ends of the hoolrs being directed toward each other. 'lhe lugs extend in opposite directions to the hooks that receive them. rlhe lugs and hoolrs are of such length that the followers may operate throughout the range of movements designed for them without permitting the straps and 'followers to become separated. By means orD this construction the followers, together with other parts of the gearing such as those herein shown, aside trom the longitudinal sill portions or the gear, may be assembled as a complete entity for location as such between the longitudinal sills. The gear is assembled before its insertion in the coupler yoke by placing the parts thereof, with the exception of the straps ll, in a compressing machine and in suchrelation that these parts may be compressed more compactly thanv is illustrated in Fig. 4. After this adjustment each strap 11 has one of its hooks,4say the hook 13, slipped fully onto the corresponding lug 10. This leaves theother hook 12 free to be dropped into alignment with the corresponding lug 9, whereupon the compressing machine is adjusted to allow the springs slowly to expand, the lugs 9 then yentering the corresponding hooks 12. rlhe straps then fully maintain the gearV elements in assembly in readiness to be assembled with the coupler yoke. Y Y

ln carrying out other features of my invention the followers yare desirably hollow and are open at their opposing ends. The ina-in motion resisting mechanisms are disposed within the hollow followers. As ill-ustrated, these main motion resisting mechanisms are inclusive of springs 1li, 15. The supplemental motion resisting mechanism is inclusive of a'spring plate or a set of plates 16 individual to the follower 7, a spring plate or set of spring plates 17 individual to rthe follower 8 and a spring plate depresser 18 interposed between the plates 16 and 17. The spring plates and the depresser entend crosswise ofthe gear, the spring platespreferably being long enough to bridge the gap between the straps 1l. rlhe spring plate depresser 18 is somewhat elliptical as it appears in plan view, this depresser serving, when the gear is subject to sufficient strain, to bend the plates toward the followers to which such plates areindividual, the rims of the followers sloping away from the plates as indicated at 19 to permit the springs to be bent toward the followers.

rlhe spring plates will normally transfer strains between the followers of the main motion resisting mechanisms without themselves bending appreciably until the gear is subject to strains that are in excess of a predetermined degree. lllhen the gear is subject to strains of larger decree the spring plates will be moved into e sagement with someof the shoullers 19 and thereafter will yield to the bending action of the depresser and furnish an increased degree of resistance to relative movement between the followers.

The depresser is preferably a floating element that is formed with upper and lower ears 2O that travel in the longitudinal spaces that are defined by and between the overlapping horns 21, 22 upon the't ps and bottoms of the followers. These horns are so shaped Y and cut away, Vas illustrated clearly in Fig. 6, as to permit the maximum approach of the followers` while at the same time maintaining the longitudinal spaces in which the ears 2O may move. These horns ofthe followers serve also to prevent verticaldisplacement of the spring plates 16 and-17, sidewise displacement of the the straps 1,1.V

lllhile l have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent the followingsf Y 1. A draft lgear including a coupler yoke; longitudinal sills between which said yoke is disposed; followers assembled with the yoke; motion resisting mechmisin` interposed between and engaging the followers; and straps extendinglongitudinally ofthe gear-for assembling the followers independplates being prevented by ent-ly of the sills, said straps havingfollower v engaging formations which limit the extent to whichthe followers may be separated and which permit relativemovement of the followers longitudinally of the sills. Y Y

2. A. draft `gear including a coupler yoke; longitudinal sills between which said yoke is disposed.; followers assembled with Vthe yoke; motion resisting mechanismV interposed between and engaging the followers;

and straps extending longitudinally of the gear for assembling the followers'independently of the sills, said straps having their ends formed into hooks, `the hooks upon each str-ap facing each other, said followers having lugs upon their sides and at their inner ends that are spaced apartl from the bodies of the followers, the hooks upon the straps receiving` the lugs between the sides thereof.

3. A draft gear including a coupler yoke; longitudinal sillsbetween which said yoke is disposed; followers assembled with the yoke; motion resisting mechanism individual to each follower and inter-posed between the followers; straps extending longitudinally of the gear for assembling the followers independently of the sills, said straps having follower engaging formations which limit the extent towhich the followers may be separated and which permit relative movement of the followers',longitudinally of the sills; spring plates.extending` crosswise of the gear and interposed between said str-aps and the motion resisting mechanisms; and a spring plate depresser interposed between the spring plates-and serving, when the, gear is under suflicient strain, to bend the spring platesbetween whichV the depresser is disposed.

4. A draft gear includinga coupler yoke; longitudinal sills between which Vsaid yokeJ is disposed; followers assembled with the yoke; motion resisting mechanism individual toeach follower anvdinterposed between kthe followers; straps extending longitudinally of the gear for assembling theA followers independently of the sills, said straps rif) having their ends formed into hooks, the hooks upon each strap facing each other, said followers having lugs upon their sides and at their inner ends that are spaced apart from the bodies of the followers, the hooks upon the straps receiving the lugs between the sides thereof; spring plates extending crosswise of the gear and interposed between said straps and the motion resisting mechanisms; and a spring plate depresser interposed between the spring plates and serving, when the gear is under sufhcient strain, to bend the spring plates between which the depresser is disposed.

5. A draft gear including a coupler yoke; longitudinal sills between which said yoke is disposed; hollow followers assembled with the yoke and open at their opposing ends; motion resisting spring means individual to each follower and interposed'between the followers and disposed in the interiors thereof; straps extending longitudinally of the gear for assembling the followers independently of the sills, said straps having follower engaging formations which limit the extent to which the followers may be separated and which permit relative movement of the followers longitudinally of the sills; spring plates extending crosswise of the gear and interposed between said straps and the motion resisting means; and a spring plate depresser interposed between the spring plates and serving, when the gea-r is under sufficient strain, to bend the spring p-latss between which the depresser is disose 6. A draft gear including a coupler yoke; longitudinal sills between which said yoke is disposed; hollow followers assembled with the yoke and open at their opposing ends; motion resisting spring means individual to each follower and interposed between the followers and disposed in the interiors thereof; straps extending longitudinally of the ear for assembling the followers indepen'ently of the sills, said straps having their ends formed into hooks, the hooks upon each strap facing each other, said followers having lugs upon their sides and at their inner ends that are spaced apart from the bodies of the followers, the hooks upon the straps receiving the lugs between the sides thereof; spring plates extending crosswise of the gear and interposed between said straps and the motion resisting means; and a spring plate depresser interposed between the spring plates and serving, when the gear is under sufficient strain, to bend the spring plates between which the depresser is disposed.

7. A draft gear including a coupler yoke; longitudinal sills between which said yoke is disposed; hollow followers assembled with the yoke and open at their opposing ends; motion resisting means individual to each follower and interposed between the followers and disposed in the interiors thereof; straps extending longitudinally of the gear for assembling the followers independently of the sills, said straps having follower en- `raging formations which limit the extent to which the followers may be separated and which permit relative movement of the followers longitudinally of the sills; spring plates extending crosswise of the gear and interposed between said straps and the motion resisting means; and a spring plate depresser interposed between the spring plates and serving, when the gear is under sufficient strain, to bend the spring plates between which the depresser is disposed.

8. A draft gear including a coupler yoke; longitudinal sills between which said yoke is disposed; hollow followers assembled with the yoke and open at their opposing ends; motion resisting means individual to each follower and interposed between the followers and disposed in the interiors thereof; spring plates extending crosswise of the gear and interposed between the motion resisting means; and a spring plate depresser interposed between the spring plates and serving, when the gear is under sufficient strain, to bend 'the spring plates between which the depresser is disposed.

9. A draft gear including a coupler yoke; longitudinal sills between which said yoke is disposed; followers assembled with the yoke; motion resisting mechanism, individual to each follower and interposed between the followers; and a supplemental motion resisting structure interposed between and operating in succession to the aforesaid motion resisting mechanisms.

ln witness whereof, l hereunto subscribe my name this seventh day of October, A. D.

HERMAN C. PRIEBE. 

